BY LEONG Z-KEEN
THE Housing Development Corporation (HDC) has been allocated RM104.3 million this year to implement 16 projects involving 742 units of affordable houses and ‘Rumah SPEKTRA Permata’ (RSP) in Sarawak.
Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr. Sim Kui Hian said 12 projects comprising 655 housing units were ongoing while the other four were in the planning stages.
“Of the eight projects approved under Projek Rakyat, onehas been completed which is the upgrading of infrastructure works at ‘Rumah Spektra Permata’ (RSP) Village Expansion Scheme (Skim Pembesaran Kampung)Igan.
“Four projects are on-going whereby three projects involve 162 units RSP in Kuching, Gedong and Kabong whilst the other is the upgrading of infrastructure works at SPK Tian, Matu.
“The remaining three projects under Project Rakyat scheme are still in the planning stages,” he said during his Ministerial winding up speech in the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (DUN) yesterday.
Dr Sim, who is the Minister for Public Health, Housing and Local Government disclosed that the Sarawak Rental Assistance Scheme (SRAS) approved 3,917 applications with a lock amount of RM21.8 million. This included 2,493 new applications from HDC flat tenants, 1,037 second-year renewals and 302 third-year renewals and 85 students from higher institutions.
He added that the Longhouse Loan Scheme has benefited 1,081 longhouses comprising 23,539 doors with the local government allocating RM50 million yearly to uplift and expedite the transformation of the living environment in rural areas and reduce the longhouse applicants waiting list throughout Sarawak.
“As of May 2, 2024, a total of RM182.88 million has been disbursed, benefiting 289 longhouses consisting of 6,152 units.
“Presently, there are 55 longhouses consisting of 1,182 doors whose applications are pending while 187 longhouses involving 3,704 doors are on the waiting list,” said Dr. Sim.
On another note, Dr. Sim said his Ministry would further enhance the Housing Deposit and Repayment Assistance Scheme (HDRAS) initiative to benefit more first-time house buyers.
